Passport Podcast

Amsterdam: Stealing Van Gogh – Art and Crime in Amsterdam

E20
September 9, 2020
55:48

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About this Episode

Amsterdam is a city of canals and coffeeshops: of charm and sin. Nowhere is this better encapsulated than in its art scene. The Dutch capital is a hub of both contemporary and classic art - from incredible graffiti to world leading institutions like the Van Gogh museum.

Van Gogh still holds a lot of sway in the city - he’s the Netherlands’ most famous artistic son, after all. But his work is also under threat from art thieves. In the twentieth century, Amsterdam has been home to two of the world’s most notorious art thefts, and they were both Van Goghs.

This week, we’re going to meet the man behind one of those heists: Octave Durham, he’s an art thief. But when a Van Gogh is stolen, there’s someone in Amsterdam whose job it is to get them back. We’re going to meet him too: Arthur Brand, he’s an art detective.

It’s a story straight out of Hollywood, taking us to the heart of stunning art and audacious crime in the Dutch capital.